Carnew win on the road in Ballywaltrim in Division 2
Newly-promoted Ballywaltrim are beaten in goal-fest
BALLYWALTRIM FC CARNEW FC 2 5
CARNEW faced newly-promoted Ballywaltrim FC in a goal-laden affair in Ballywaltrim on Sunday morning.
Carnew lined out with a 4-4-1-1 formation while Ballywaltrim elected to play a 4-2-3-1 with Thomas Cowan leading the line.
Ballywaltrim started the brighter of the two, with Lewis Griffin finding space on the left flank before curling in a dangerous inswinging cross which threatened the far corner, forcing Robert Young into an acrobatic save.
Carnew soon took control of the game, and Cillian Gilligan could have opened the scoring after being played through on goal by James Behan.
The young attacker tried to round the keeper but Stephen Temple pulled off a superb lastditch save to avert the danger.
Behan had a one on one of his own for Carnew after some wonderfully honest decision making by the Ballyaltrim linesman resulted in a quick Carnew throw-in but once again Temple in the Ballywaltrim goal was equal to the challenge, saving well from the Carnew wingers powerful shot from close range.
John Kavanagh was battling well in midfield, sitting back when necessary and bursting forward when the opportunity presented itself as well as bringing his widemen into the game when the situation called for it.
It was one of these wide-men, James Behan, who created the opening goal.
Picking up the ball on the right wing at the halfway line, Behan took on and beat the defenders for pace on the outside.
The young winger could have elected to cross when he reached the end line but Behan wanted more. Racing in along the end line, Behan beat a third defender for pace only to see his ankle clipped.
The referee duly awarded a penalty and JJ McCrea stepped up to put his side in the lead.
Carnew continued to press forward but found the scores levelled when, after a rare foray into the opposition half for Ballywaltrim, Lewis Griffin was fouled outside the area.
Johnathan Percy stepped up to take the free-kick and saw his effort deflect off the wall high into the air before looping into the top corner.
All Robert Young in the Carnew goal could do was watch the ball sail in to the net and curse his luck.
The second half began with a heavy shower of rain, prompting calls for the teams to play ‘next goal wins’! Ballywaltrim began with intent, pushing the Carnew defence deep into their own half.
This actually suited Carnew as they began to use the pace of Gilligan and Behan on the break to their advantage.
The ‘sweeper-keeper’ is a phenomenon of the modern game and the Ballywaltrim keeper attempted to embrace this philosophy but found himself looking more like Joe Hart than Manuel Neuer when he left his box to clear the ball straight to James Behan.
Behan saw his long range shot blocked but only as far as Cillian Gilligan who slotted into the empty net to put Carnew back into the lead.
Incredibly, moments later the Ballywaltrim netminder, Shane Temple, was left red-faced again as a poor clearance under pressure found Gilligan again who probably couldn’t believe his luck when he was given a second open goal to double his tally.
In defence of Temple he was done no favours by his teammate who put him under severe pressure with a hospital pass.
Ballywaltrim had controlled the second half but their failure to deal with Carnew’s counter attack left them behind and the Carnew lead was extended when the tireless Justin House played the ball in for Gilligan to complete his hat-trick.
The Division 2 newcomers did pull a goal back when Graeme Donnelly nodded in at the far post.
Despite his side conceding five, Donnelly impressed throughout and the result could have been even worse for his side but for his marshalling of the Ballywaltrim defence. Donnelly’s header was soon cancelled out by yet another Carnew penalty, again won by Behan.
This time Behan stepped up to the spot and converted his sides fifth goal to cap a good morning’s work for Carnew.
Carnew FC: Robert Young, Sean Murphy, Adam Doyle, Jack Kearney, Quintin House, James Behan, Justin House, John Kavanagh, Eoghan Mulholland, JJ McCrea, Cillian Gilligan. Subs used: Mick Cullen, Brendan Behan
Ballywaltrim: Stephen Temple, Ciaran Dunne, Mark Flanagan, Graeme Donnelly, Shane Dunne, Johnathan Percy, Corey Byrne, Ross O’ Brien, Jamie Doyle, Lewis Griffin, Tomas Cowan. Subs used: Ross Hughes, Emmet Costello, Stephen Murphy.